More Than Warriors
by Guardian of Hope
Summary: Zhane sees things a little differently than most. Rainbow Brotherhood Silver Arc 1 het, slash
1. Prologue

A/N: I really don't feel guilty about this. This is the start of More Than Warriors, the first of the Silver Arcs. This story primarily focuses on Zhane's life at different points. Hopefully I can also answer some of the questions about the Brotherhood plot as I go on.

* * *

A little boy huddled against the steel gray wall of his mother's spaceship. The sparse grey furnishings of the quarantine suite were broken only by the brightly colored toys scattered around the little boy's hiding space.

"Zhane?" A breathless weak woman's voice filled the room.

"Mama?" The little boy asked, "Mama, where are you? Can I come out now? I'll be a good boy."

The woman coughed, "Zhane you are the best boy ever. You have to stay there." The woman stopped to coughed again, it was a dry, raspy series of coughs that left her gasping. "Zhane listen, you are, you're the best. Never forget. I love you." She started coughing again.

"Mama!" The little boy jumped to his feet, "I love you mama. Let me out!"

"Be the best," the woman rasped, "love you."

Hold white threw himself at the recess door of the street "Mama let me out!" he sobbed, beating on the door.

It would be four days before a rescue crew would arrive from KO–35, and months before the little boy smiled. For two years, the only person who heard him speak was a little boy who had also lost the most important person in his world.


	2. Team United

A/N: I was told I was mean to leave it like I did. Therefore, another chapter. I mentioned Andros's first team in the Red Fraternity if you want to see their eventual fates. I think the hardest part here was remembering that these kids are between thirteen and fifteen years old.

* * *

When Zhane was 13 years old, he finally achieved his greatest dream. He had known that he would become a Silver Ranger ever since the day his Uncle Kartai had shown him the light inside of him. That had been one of the longest periods of time that he had stayed on a planet, before his mother's death that is. His mother, a former green ranger, had become a merchant after her retirement. Up until the days before his fifth birthday, Zhane and his mother had traveled a great deal.

That it had taken nearly 10 years to find the morpher he had been promised on that long ago day had not been a surprise. In fact, Zhane had thought it would take longer. After all most humans didn't get a morpher until they were 18.

It was a day he would never forget.

Zhane and Andros had gone to Eltare to retrieve Andros's injured teammate, Analyn. She had had a nasty run in with some smugglers and had needed medical aid beyond the colony's abilities. Kartai was waiting when they landed on Eltare with a purple robed figure.

"Greetings Uncle Kartai," Zhane said. He gave a short bow of respect to the Purple Ranger before focusing on his uncle. "How have you been?"

Kartai held up his arms and pulled the teen into a quick hug. "I've been just fine; my research has been proving interesting. What about you, Zhane?"

"I thought I would never get off KO–35, Andros sprung me because I begged him to." Zhane turned and gestured to Andros, "Have you met Uncle Kartai?"

"We have met," Andros replied as he stepped forward, "when we brought Analyn here."

"I'm sure your teammate is ready to go home," Kartai said genially. "However, that is not why I'm here today. Andros, Zhane, this is my teammate Ranger Mykol, a Purple Ranger. Mykol has told me that now is the time for Zhane to accept his morpher."

"_His_ morpher?" Andros asked incredulously.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Zhane told him with a mock pout. He turned to Kartai, "_Now?_ With what team?"

"With the Astros," Mykol said quietly. He lifted his head, allowing his face to be seen including the fact that his eyes were violet. "You deserve a morpher, and being the Silver Astro Ranger is your destiny. With a six ranger, the Astro Rangers will prove key to ending this war although it may not come about the way you expect."

Zhane looked over at Andros; his friend looked white as a sheet. "Is there anything that I have to do now?" He said, "Or do the Astros have to make the request?"

"As long as Andros has no objections, the morpher is already waiting for you. All that must occur is your acceptance." Kartai replied.

Andros shook his head, as if to brush off some odd thought, "I would be crazy to object._ Any_ Red Ranger would be crazy to reject a Silver Ranger." He gave Zhane a brilliant smile, "Especially for that ranger to be you. Welcome to the team."

"Then you should get your teammate Andros, while Zhane and I go to get his morpher. We will meet you back here." Kartai said.

"All right," Andros replied.

Zhane followed Kartai into the Ranger Hall, where the Rangers kept their oldest and most valuable records of ranger lore. Instead of going to the Records, which Zhane had visited with his mother, they went through an unremarkable wooden door that lead to a flight of stairs to an underground complex. There was a large, metal door that opened when Kartai held up his morpher, beyond the door was a short corridor with a cross corridor about six paces from the door. Beyond the cross corridor was another door, this one made of dark wood with frosted glass. As they passed the cross corridor, Zhane glanced both ways and saw other doors on each side.

The glass and wood door was their goal; beyond it was a small well appointed chapel. There was an altar at the far end of the room covered in a silver cloth. On the wall above the altar was the symbol of the Light, a sun in glory made of clear glass and silver. On the altar, a dark wooden box waited.

"Open it," Kartai instructed him.

Zhane reached trembling hands for the box; he paused for a moment, and then opened the box. Inside sat an object that he had seen in his dreams, the Digimorpher. "I have dreamed of this," he whispered.

"Use it well."

"_You have got to be kidding me!"_

Zhane rolled his eyes, he had been settling into his quarters when DECA had summoned him to the bridge. Jos could be heard from the lift at the end of the corridor, and he was clearly not happy with the Astros's new team member. It was a fair bet that some of the others were equally unhappy although Analyn seemed indifferent. Zhane entered the bridge to find Andros squaring off against Jos, Neverro, and Loryn while Analyn stood to one side. "Look" He said, catching everyone's attention, "I have always been a silver ranger, I just never had a team or a morpher. Now, whether you like it or not, I have both. Silver Rangers are different; each one of us has our own style. You don't have to like it, but I'm not going anywhere."

"Zhane is right," declared Analyn. "All you are doing is sounding like idiots." The pink ranger crossed her arms and lifted her chin, "Having a Silver Ranger on the team makes us stronger, better able to do our job. Besides, up until the moment Andros told you that Zhane was our sixth ranger, you thought Zhane was a great guy, why does that change because he has a morpher?"

Jos threw his hands up, "Of course you'd take _Andros's side._"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Analyn asked.

"Stop it," Andros snapped, "everyone just stop. Jos, back off. Analyn, thank you for your support. The fact of the matter is, even if I didn't want Zhane to be a Ranger, I'd have been an idiot to say so right in front of Ranger Kartai. Fact of the matter is, we need all the help we can get. Dark Spector isn't going to go away just because we wish really hard." He glared at his teammates. "Jos, walk with me," he said finally. "We need to talk, apparently."

The blond haired blue ranger opened his mouth, and then closed it at Andros's glare. He followed Andros closely as the red ranger stalked off the bridge. Zhane watched the two of them head for the lift with a frown. "It's not you."

Zhane turned to find Loryn, the yellow ranger, approaching hesitantly. "Jos has been, less than pleasant to be around for some time. It's not you."

"I'm just an excuse?" Zhane suggested, glancing from Loryn to Neverro and Analyn.

"Something like that," Neverro agreed. The lanky black ranger grinned at him, "Jos has an embarrassing crush on Analyn, who has an embarrassing crush on Andros who is clueless as a rock."

Zhane chuckled, "Sounds about right for Andros. He's special like that. Now then, are there any other questions about me? I'm fully capable of explaining most things."

The yellow ranger half raised her hand, and then slid it over her close cut black and red streaked hair. "Just one," Loryn said, "why didn't you ever say anything?"

Zhane shrugged, "I was a Silver Ranger, and I've known that all my life. The Astros didn't have a Silver morpher, so why should I consider it a possibility. Unlike most other colors, Silvers don't have a defining trait except that we're good. Well, some Silvers have a looser definition of good than others. All I ever had to do was be myself, because I am the best me I can possibly be."

"Who told you that?" Neverro asked with a snort.

"My mom," Zhane said quietly. He looked away, rather than see the pity that was sure to show up in Neverro's eyes. Zhane's history was more of an open secret amongst Andros's teammates than anything, but that didn't mean that Zhane enjoyed knowing that the Rangers were aware of his history.

"She was right," Analyn announced, "you're great. Now, did you get everything settled in before you came up here or would you like some help?"

Zhane shook his head, "I didn't have much worth keeping, actually. I'm not a materialistic sort of guy."

"Says the man who keeps a battle ship for his personal use," Neverro muttered.

"The Delta?" Zhane replied, "She isn't actually a battleship. The Ilandians decommissioned her before Mom bought her. She could become a battleship with a little work, but she's a merchant ship now."

"My dad said the Delta was fully armed," Neverro said, half challenging.

"No," Zhane shook his head, "only a third of the weapons work. Her shields were full grade back when Mom bought her, but they haven't been overhauled or updated in twenty years. Most of the weapons ports are blocked closed, and she doesn't have any kinetics at all. Not to mention that MOE isn't battle class grade. You'd have to have the key cards to upgrade MOE's programming, and then you'd have to stock the kinetics, repair the ports and overhaul the shields."

"Why don't you?" Loryn asked, "It's not like KO-35 couldn't use the extra fire power."

"Maybe for the Rangers," Zhane said, "but MOE and the Delta are all I have of my mom. I don't want anything to happen to them." He considered for a moment, toying with the phoenix charm he wore around his neck. "I'll talk to Andros about it. He'll know what to do."

Loryn smiled brightly, "Sounds like a plan."

"Agreed," Zhane said, giving the pink ranger his most charming smile. He hoped it was enough to hide the fact that somewhere deep inside, he knew this wasn't _his_ team. Mykol's warning that the Astros would win the war in an unexpected way nagged at him, keeping him too aware of his uneasiness.


	3. Fallen Silver

A/N: I may have inadverdently raised questions here, since I'm not suree what you want to know, feel free to ask in a review or PM!

* * *

Zhane poked the bright pink lump carefully.

"Geroff!" The lump groaned.

"Andros," Zhane said cheerfully and loudly, "I think it's alive."

"Oobeadoon," someone said.

"Sorry," Zhane fell on the red air mattress with a thump. "I don't speak pillow." He glanced around the room at the brightly colored air mattresses. The blue mattress was already empty, but then Jos had not partaken in their festivities the night before, choosing instead to stand watch. Zhane's own mattress and sheets were about three inches from Andros's, but as Zhane bounced on his friend's air mattress, he decided that the red ranger had definitely gotten the better bed.

"Zhane," Jos said quietly, "leave them alone." The lean blue ranger slid into the observatory and stared down at Zhane with disapproval in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Zhane asked loudly. He shifted around so that he was kneeling half over Andros, who was whimpering and trying to burrow further under his pillow and sheets.

"Stop," Jos hissed, glancing at their teammates and back at Zhane.

"I can't hear you," Zhane said, grinning brightly and clapping his hands over his ears childishly.

"Leave them alone," Jos said, louder.

"Still can't hear you," Zhane sing-songed cheerfully before launching to a full on song, "Oh, I once knew a lady."

"Shut up!" Jos shouted.

"You first," Neverro groaned, or rather a black lump on the far side of the observatory groaned, "Really Jos, let us die in peace." One of the grey pillows on Zhane's bed lifted into the air and slammed into the laughing Zhane.

Grinning Zhane jumped to his feet, "I know just the thing. I'll be right back." He hopped out of the room as noisily as possible.

"That's a little cruel, don't you think?" Jos said, following him.

Zhane grinned, "They don't know how to prevent hangovers, so they deserve it."

"Why don't you have a hangover, you drank more than they did." Jos asked.

"Water and food," Zhane replied, "I had a glass of water for every two drinks, and I ate most of the food we ordered." Zhane stepped into the lift and hit the button. Turning to Jos, Zhane smiled charmingly, "And Jos, my mother was a green ranger. I'm genetically predisposed to give my team a hard time when they're being stupid."

Jos snorted and shook his head as the lift opened, "So, what are we getting from the infirmary?"

"That red ranger we met, Alia, her yellow gave me a recipe that he swore by. Not only that, but I've had no harmful effects and Uncle Kartai said it works as advertised."

"So, your uncle," Jos said, watching as Zhane programmed the synthesizer, "what does he do? I know there was an Eltarean Ranger named Kartai."

"Same person," Zhane replied, "he's a scientist now."

"What kind?"

"Kartai is studying how the morphers respond to different people, and how the Power reacts to the morphers. He had this discovery several years ago, that certain gems can amplify the Power exponentially, while others can filter it. He says that filtered morphers can be very useful in the intergalactic community, for law enforcement mainly."

"Why would a less powerful morpher be useful, we need all the Power Rangers we can find," Jos said.

"True," Zhane said, "but not everyone can be a Power Ranger. These filters, they can help a weaker species deal with a stronger one. I mean, imagine going up against a Ronig without a morpher."

"What's a Ronig?"

"They're from the planet Rondelorpaxon; they're a big furry people, solid muscle and bone. They have higher bone density and mass because Rondelorpaxon is a high gravity world. They can literally rip a person's arm off on accident."

Jos whistled, "That is a strong race."

"Yes, well, these filtered morphers? They boost strength and such by about fifteen percent. They also help healing as well. They don't require the kind of selection process that a Ranger's morpher does. That's their weakness; anyone can use a filtered morpher."

"What about the colors then?" Jos asked, "Aare these filtered morphers on the spectrum?"

"Not exactly," Zhane admitted. "They are usually orange, but they can mimic Ranger colors."

"Do you think that's a good thing?" Jos asked.

"I think Uncle Kartai shouldn't tell people how to use the mimic feature, but that's just me."

"I think I agree," Jos said. The blue ranger gave Zhane an assessing look. "You know, you aren't half bad; when you're not trying to fool around."

Zhane grinned, "Most of my 'fooling around' as you put it is for Andros. He needs to laugh." Zhane took a tray from one of the lower cabinets and started pulling drinks from the synthesizer. "Andros has a brooding problem. My job is to help him overcome it."

"You make brooding sound like an addiction," Jos said.

Zhane glanced at Jos for a moment, "I'm sorry, have you met Andros?"

Jos laughed, "He does brood a lot, doesn't he?"

"He's better than he was when we were kids," Zhane replied, he picked up the tray. "He used to be brood, eat, sleep, and repeat."

"True, now he's added training and fighting," Jos pointed out. "That's an improvement."

"Now we just get our teammates to drink this, and they'll be fine," Zhane said.

"Zhane," DECA said, "I have an incoming, urgent message from Ranger Kartai of Eltare. He requests a private link."

"I'll take those," Jos said, "go."

"Right." After handing over the tray, Zhane ran for his room. Pausing only to throw some things off his bed to make the room look halfway decent, Zhane slid in front of the com station, "Activate com," he said.

The familiar face of his mother's friend snapped into view, "Zhane of KO-35," Kartai said.

"Kartai of Eltare," Zhane replied, "what's going on?"

"Sirius has fallen," Kartai said.

Zhane closed his eyes, "I- is that what I felt last night?"

Kartai nodded solemnly, "Her name was Lucina."

Zhane's fist hit the console before he was even conscious of the movement, "Dark Spector," he growled.

"No," Kartai replied, "Dark Spector was not the cause of this. I cannot tell you more than that right now, though."

Zhane looked at his uncle for a long moment, "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because at the moment, we don't know who did it," Kartai said. "The reports are mixed, ranging from some unknown entity to the Arpen, and even one claiming that Eltare was responsible. The only thing we have is a possible name."

"A name," Zhane hissed.

"Grumm."

MTWSWMTWSWMTWSWMTWSW

Zhane found his team still in the observatory, more or less recovered from their drinking the night before. Andros noticed him first, "Zhane!" The Red Ranger leapt to his feet, hand reaching for Zhane, "Are you ok?"

Zhane stumbled forward and let his friend pull him into a tight hug. He wasn't sure how he would be able to explain this. He knew he didn't have the words for what he felt. The Silvers, they were _there_, in his mind and soul and had been since the Digimorpher had come to him. Kartai had promised to teach him the tricks of the Silvers as he grew older, but there had been no training for this. Finally, he forced himself to step back and look at his team. "A Silver Ranger died last night," he said.

"What happened?" Andros asked.

"Her name was Lucina," Zhane said as tears welled in his eyes, grief for a woman he would never meet causing his voice to crack. "She fought for Sirius. The planet fell, the whole team is gone." He closed his eyes for a long moment, and then looked around. They looked stunned and horrified, but it was the look of an innocent, hearing something terrible. Only Andros looked different, his horror and grief were different, the scars of a man who had felt something similar.

"Last night," Andros said, "you started acting weird."

Zhane brushed his cheek with the palm of his hand and nodded, "I felt it. I didn't know what I felt but, I felt her die. It's like, it's like I was in a field of stars and one of them went out. It was like the whole universe became a bit darker all of a sudden."

Andros hugged him again at Zhane felt the tears come back. Someone touched his shoulder and then a warm body leaned against his right side. A second wiggled under Andros's arm on his left. Then the whole group shifted as two more bodies surrounded him. A familiar, but long silent voice whispered in his ear, "_Amast_, Phoenix." _Safe, Phoenix._

Zhane clung to his best friend, surrounded by his teammates, and sobbed as a whisper in the back of his mind sang an old lullaby.


	4. Delta Awakens

A/N: In the interest of keeping the story going, I've skipped about a year. There isn't much importance of what happened, just the team growing closer, and a few raides by quantrons. Ages now are: Zhane, Andros and Loryn are 14, Neverro and Analyn are 15 and Jos just turned 16.

* * *

The Delta had been at the Harleen Space Port for almost ten years and except for some maintenance and one emergency call out, it had been in the same dock since the day the Kerova Space Rescue team had brought it in.

Zhane had gone to the ship once a year ever since, accompanied by foster parents and orphanage workers. He knew his mother's family paid to keep the ship on KO-35 rather than allow him to come to Ilan.

As Zhane led his team on board the ship, he wondered what those relatives would say when they learned he was a silver ranger.

"So this is the Delta," Jos commented, looking up as the lights came on.

"It's not much," Zhane said, heading for the auxiliary bridge.

"You were born here," Neverro said, touching his back gently, "That's something."

Zhane shivered a little, and hurried over to the console, "This is the auxiliary bridge," he said, glancing over his shoulder at his friends. He couldn't believe it had been almost a year since he'd been given his morpher. They had grown close in that year, which made it hard for Zhane to remember that something was going to happen to his team, something unexpected. "Without the keycards, this is where you handle the ship."

"Where are the keycards?" Jos asked.

Zhane smiled, "They're on the bridge. It's the safest place for them given that the bridge locked down after Mom died." He ran his hand over the console, bringing it to light.

"Greetings Ranger Zhane," Moe said cheerfully.

"Hey Moe," Zhane replied, activating the scan plate, "I need to talk to BEAU."

"I'll need confirmation," Moe said.

"Sure thing," Zhane said, and pressed his palm on the plate.

"BEAU?" Analyn asked.

"Mom programmed Moe as my babysitter," Zhane said, "BEAU is the Delta's primary AI. After Mom died, Moe handled all the interactions." He jolted as the plate took a DNA scan. "BEAU locked down the bridge until I was ready."

"Indeed, Ranger Zhane," the smooth, masculine voice said, "and congratulations."

Zhane grinned, "Thanks BEAU. These are my teammates, Andros in Red, Jos in Blue, Neverro in Black, Analyn in Pink, and Loryn in Yellow."

"Greetings, Rangers," BEAU said.

"We need to access the bridge," Zhane said, heading towards the wall.

"I trust you have the key," BEAU said as a panel slid into the wall, revealing a recessed space that lit up with a cool, blue light.

"Never leave home without it," Zhane replied. He reached up and began to work the clasp on his necklace.

After a few moments of struggling, Neverro appeared at his elbow, "Need help?"

Zhane smiled at him, "Yes please."

Moments later, Neverro was dropping the necklace in Zhane's open hand. "There you go.

"Thank you," Zhane said, feeling his cheeks warm under Neverro's gaze. He stepped away when Andros coughed, and put the necklace in the space.

After a moment, a door slid open and Zhane stepped forward, "Welcome to the heart of the Delta."

He hurried down the wall, eyes focused on the wall opposite of the quarantine chamber, then he startled when someone bumped his shoulder. He looked over to see Andros walking beside him. "You're crying," Andros said.

Zhane touched his cheek, and looked down, surprised to find his fingers wet. "The air's dry," he said, "my eyes are just watering." The corridor opened onto the bridge and Zhane spread out his hands, "Feel free to look around. BEAU will keep you from blowing up the ship." He turned to the pilot chair and knelt down.

"What are you doing?" Loryn asked, crouching down beside him.

"Looking for the latch to where the keycards are out," Zhane replied, trailing his fingers around the base of the chair. "It's been a long time since I've seen them."

"Hey Zhane," Analyn said, "Did you know that Delta has a Megazord configuration?"

"No," Zhane said.

"I wonder how you'd activate it," Jos said.

Zhane glanced up and found that Analyn and Jos were studying one of the consoles. "BEAU, how do we activate the Megazord configuration?"

"There is a device that is required," BEAU said after a long moment, "it is not on board the Delta at this time."

"Do you know where it is?" Zhane asked, running his fingers over a section of the flooring.

"Katanya gave the device to someone you would trust," BEAU said, "That is all she ever said. That it would be someone you would trust."

Zhane nodded as he ran his fingers over the plate again, "Found it," he announced. He pressed his fingers into the four uneven spaces and watched as the metal plate beside the one he'd been probing lifted up. Zhane pulled out the keycards and held them up. "Now we have them if we need them."

Andros took the cards with a smile, "Thank you, I know this wasn't easy."

Zhane shrugged, "I'm here to protect KO-35, and the Delta can help do that."

Neverro offered his hand and Zhane grasped it tightly as he stood up. "Have you been here many times?" He asked quietly.

"A few times," Zhane said, "when my minders let me come on the ship alone. Usually, I just go to the auxiliary bridge." He glanced down; surprised to find that he was still holding Neverro's hand.

"Hey Zhane," Loryn said, "ow, Analyn!"

Zhane turned, "What's up?"

Loryn was rubbing her side and glaring at Analyn, "I just wanted to know what kind of weaponry we wanted. Mom said she'd help us deal with the council even if Kinwon didn't say anything."

"Uncle Kinwon's not sure if we can be trusted," Jos said, "after what happened last week."

"Which part?" Andros and Zhane asked in unison. They grinned at each other.

"Probably all of it," Jos replied. "I think he'd approve the weaponry if he knew he could trust the pilots."

"You should pilot the Delta then," Zhane decided, "Kinwon trusts you more than any of us."

"Are you sure?" Jos asked.

Zhane shrugged, freeing his hand from Neverro, "I'm not a good pilot, Jos. I'm all right with a co-pilot, but handling the Delta is a little beyond my skill set. Besides Andros, you're the best pilot we have, and taking Andros away from the megaship would just be cruel to DECA."

"That just means finding a pilot for Beta," Loryn said.

"You pilot Beta," Andros said, frowning at Loryn, "you know that. You're the only one that stupid AI will work with."

Zhane chuckled, because Andros still wasn't over the Beta Megaship's AI calling him a 'walking disaster zone' after their first simulated battle. To be fair, Andros had piloted Beta into one of the asteroid belts while chasing simulated quantron fighters.

Andros glared at Zhane for a moment, then turned, "Loryn, Jos, you need to pick your co-pilots. That will give us two megaships and a battleship ready for action."

"Don't you want to pick first?" Loryn asked.

Andros shrugged, "I would rather you two pick who you're comfortable with. I know I can work with Neverro, Zhane and Analyn in any situation."

"Fine by me," Loryn said, "I call Neverro. He's the best shot on this team, and BETA actually likes him."

"If I must," Neverro replied. Beta's AI was well known for her sarcasm, but she did tolerate Neverro and Loryn best.

"In that case," Jos said, "I want Analyn, she's the best navigator, and she's a good shot."

Zhane grinned at Andros, "Looks like you and I get to annoy DECA some more."

"Sounds like a plan," Andros said with a smile. "We should get back, though. You know how testy Kinwon gets if he can't get in contact with us right away."

"Kinwon needs to get a hobby," Zhane muttered. He glanced up, "BEAU, keep cover unless a Ranger needs the Delta. I don't want people getting the idea that they can just highjack her for whatever reasons."

"Understood," BEAU replied.

The Astro Rangers reached for their morphers and teleported back to the Astro Megaship.

For a long moment, the team stood on the bridge, seemingly lost in their own thoughts, then Loryn coughed, "I'm going to get a workout in," she announced, "Jos, want to spar?"

"Am I going to wind up with unexplainable bruises again?" Jos asked.

"Probably," Loryn said, "if only because you hate admitting you were defeated by a girl."

The pair headed off the bridge, bickering amicably. As soon as the lift closed, Analyn reached for Andros's hand, "You promised to help me work on that port side shield generator," she told Andros, "let's go."

Zhane watched as Analyn dragged Andros off the bridge, and realized that he was left alone with Neverro, "I should," Zhane began.

"Wait," Neverro said, "I wanted to ask you something."

Zhane licked his lips, "What?" He asked.

"Well," Neverro said. He looked down for a moment, then at the wall, "Why is this so hard?" He muttered.

"Are you ok?" Zhane asked.

"Yeah," Neverro said, "it's just, I like you Zhane."

Zhane blinked, "Well that's good, we are teammates after all."

Neverro closed his eyes for a moment, "No, Zhane, I mean that I _like_ you."

"Ok," Zhane said slowly.

"And," Neverro hesitated, "Niki Starfire's new holovid is out and I was wondering if you wanted to see it."

"It's Niki Starfire," Zhane said, "I love her work. The team could use a team building activity."

"Not the team," Neverro said, "just you, and me."

"What like a date?" Zhane asked hesitantly.

"Exactly like a date," Neverro said, looking relieved.

Zhane blinked a few times, then smiled shyly at his friend, "I would like that very much."

Neverro smiled, "Great. There's a showing in about an hour, if you don't have anything you need to do, of course."

"I have no plans," Zhane said, "unless we're attacked or something, but then we'd both be busy."

"Then I'll meet you here an hour and we can go?" Neverro prompted him.

"It's a date," Zhane said.


	5. To Remember

A/N: This is day after, so the ages are the same. It's a little sad, but good. Enjoy!

* * *

Zhane woke up with a smile on his face. Neverro had taken him on a date, his first date, and it had been a lot of fun. They'd caught the holovid, just missing the worst of the afternoon crowds, and then they'd gone to a nice restaurant. It had been strange to be out with Neverro alone and not Andros, or the team as a whole, but fun. They had talked about little things, Zhane sharing some stories from before his mother died, and Neverro telling him about his life with a family of miners.

They'd gotten back to the Megaship well after sunset, but Andros had been up, standing watch until all the Rangers were safe on board. That hadn't kept Neverro from giving him a quick but gentle kiss before they had parted ways.

"Zhane," DECA said suddenly, "the Astros wish you to join them for breakfast."

"Tell them I'll be just a moment," Zhane replied. He got up, cleaned up and pulled on his uniform, carrying the black jacket over one arm.

The rest of the team was seated around the table in the glider bay, and from the way Neverro was staring at his tray, the teasing had already started. "Good morning Zhane," Loryn said with a bright smile.

"Morning Loryn," Zhane replied as he headed for the synthatron.

"I had an interesting message from Uncle Kinwon," Jos said suddenly.

"Oh?" Andros asked.

"Apparently there are some people asking why we aren't at least living in the ranger quarters," Jos replied.

"Because we had four night calls in six days and it took too long for us to respond," Analyn said quietly.

"Because our neighbors are quietly noisy?" Zhane offered, remembering how upset Andros had been when they figured out just how effective the local grapevine was.

"Because there's no rule that says we have to," Neverro added. "I don't know about you, but my parents would be impossible if I lived with them now. They worry enough just because I'm a Ranger, they don't need to know how often we end up fighting Quantrons."

"Agreed," Loryn said.

"I'll talk to Kinwon," Andros said, "if he needs a response."

"What will you tell him?" Analyn asked.

"That we decided it was more efficient if we were to be on the Megaship after the increase in Quantron attacks. Having to teleport to and from the Megaship means that DECA has a better idea of where we are should an emergency require us to be teleported back immediately." Andros said.

"I think it was more that Uncle Kinwon was curious," Jos said, "and it was an interesting rumor."

"Because we care so much about rumor," Andros said softly before standing up. "You all know the schedule for today. Remember to check in with DECA if you leave the Megaship."

"What about you?" Analyn asked softly.

Andros gave her a shy smile, "I'm going to be off the ship for a while this morning, but I'll be back for training this afternoon." He returned his tray and headed for the jump tubes.

Zhane counted the days in his head and jolted as he recalled the date, "Want some company?" He asked, turning to watch his friend.

Andros's smile was a little tired and sad, "If you want, I didn't want to interrupt your breakfast."

Zhane picked up his trey and put it up then all but ran across the bay, "You know I'm not a breakfast person." He put on his jacket and fastened it closed, just as Andros tugged his own jacket straight. "We'll be back later guys," he added.

"Call if there's an emergency," Andros added.

Zhane threw himself down the blue tube without thought as Andros entered the red one. They emerged on the other side fully morphed and crouched on their gliders. "Are you ok?" Zhane asked as they glided through the early morning sky, heading towards a small cottage set on the edge of a forest.

"I'm fine," Andros replied tersely.

"None of that," Zhane said as they slowed, "not today."

Andros quietly flipped off his board as Zhane jumped down, both banishing their morph as they approached the cottage.

"How am I supposed to feel?" Andros asked as he reached for the door. It slid open and they stepped inside.

The three-bedroom cottage wasn't very large, and there was simplicity to the place that said home, even to Zhane. There was no furniture any more, just the built in shelves and cabinets in the kitchen and living areas. Andros stood for a long moment, and Zhane knew he was thinking of a different time, when there had been furniture, and family, and laughter; not this memorial to a lost child and dead parents. They didn't go upstairs to the small children's rooms, one bright red, one a sunny yellow, but instead Andros headed out the second door, through a small porch and into the back yard.

The caretaker of the land had kept the clearings free of the encroaching woods, but Zhane wasn't sure that was a good thing as Andros gasped weakly. They headed away from the cottage to a clearing where the morning sun was just beginning to chase away the shadows. Andros stood in the center of that clearing, looking impossibly tiny and young as tears began to slip down his cheeks.

Zhane found a place to sit and waited.

It had been eight years since Andros's sister Karone had vanished from this clearing while Andros chased their ball. Every year on that terrible day, Andros spent time remembering his sister, and probably renewing his private vow to find her. Zhane, ever since Andros had told him about Karone, simply kept him company.

He remembered that day, seven years ago now, when they had whispered to each other about their losses, and how they'd connected because of them. He remembered almost four years ago, when Andros and Zhane had made their second pact, Andros to mope less and for Zhane to talk more to other people.

"Zhane."

Zhane jumped and looked up to find Andros standing over him, "Yes, Andros?" He managed, noticing that it was midmorning already.

"Finished figuring out the secrets of the universe?" Andros asked.

"Not yet," Zhane replied as he stood up. "Ready to go back?"

Andros sighed, "Yes," he said finally, "I am."

"Hey," Zhane said, "If you want to stay a little longer, the team will understand. Remember, we vowed to fight for KO-35 together. None of us have to do anything alone."

"No," Andros said, "I should speak with Kinwon, make sure there's no trouble over the ranger quarters."

"I imagine he's just made that they spent that money to build quarters that we never use." Zhane said after a moment. "Isn't it the main worry of the government, to make sure they don't waste money?"

Andros laughed, "Maybe you're right, but still," he glanced over his shoulder, "we should go."


End file.
